Improvement in telegraph-keys



W. E. DAVIS. TELE-GRAPH KEY. No. 92,285.

Patented July 6, 1869.

` mitad States WILLIAM EDWARD DAVIS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

Lette/rs Patent-N 92,285, dated July 6, 1869.

IIMPROVEIYENIL IN TELGRAPH-KEKYS.

The Schedule referred to in these Lettere Patent and making part of vthe same To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. Davis, of Jersey Cit-y, in the county ot' Hudson, and State ot New Jer sey, have invented`a new and improved Self-Closing Circuit-Key for Telegraphs; and 1 do hereby declare that'the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip- Iionthereot', which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to 'the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l represents a side elevation, partly in section, ,fof my im proved .telegraph-key.

Figure 2 isa vertical transverse section ot the same., taken on the line asx, tig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to an improved key for automatically closing the circuits of telegraph-lines; and

The invention consists in the combination of a supplementary lever and spring with the operating-lever, the slotted standard, the contact points arranged above and below theoperatiug-lever, and theinsulated point of the adjusting-screw, all arranged as'will be hereinat'ter more fully described, whereby the circuit is automatically closed when the apparat-us is not in use.

A, in the drawing, represents the base of my improved key. Said basetis made of rubber, bone, 0r other suitable non-conducting material, and is supportediu suitable manner.

From the bed or base A, projects upward a standard, B, which iswith its lower part, connected with one oif the lines a.

In the standard is'formedau aperture, through which the lever c is iitted, as shown in tig. I.

Thev rear end of the lever C is, by means of a. spring, D, attached to a plate, E, whieh'is secured to the-bed A, as shown.

lThe plate E is connected with the other line b.

'Ihe spring D is a coiled or ilat spring ot' suitablel construction, and ,serves to transmit the current from the wire b t) the lever C, or rice versa- It also serves to hold up the frontend ot' the lever C, to keep it from contact with a pin, c, project-lug from belowinto the aperture ofthe standard B.

'Ihis pin c, as well as a piu, d, projectingdownward from the lever, are both ot' platina. l

On the front end of the lever C, isahandle or knob ,to separate the points c d.

VF, made of rubber or other non-conducting material.

VBy pressing upon this knob, the points c and el are brought into contact, but as soon as the knob is released, the spring D will at once raise the lever so as Thus by moving the le'ver up and down, the circuit willbe alternately opened and closed, and when motion is stopped, the direct lcircuit will be stopped'.

The degree of motion of the lever is regulated by means ofa screw, e, inserted into the upper part of the standard B, the lowerend of said screw 'being insulated, as shown, l

The. sides of the aperture of the standard are also insulated, as shown-at f, in iig. 2, to prevent the current from passing from the lever to the sides of the standard.

-Froin the lever C, projects an ear or ears, g, to which, by means ot' a pin, h, an elbow-lever, G, is pivoted.

This lever has also an insulated knob, H, between which and the knob-F, a spring, i, is interposed to keep these knobs apart, and to force the platinumcovered cud j of the lever G, against the platinum k, ou the face ofthe standard B, asin fig. l. Thus, when the apparatus is at rest, the circuit is completed by means oi the lever G, while, when itis to operate, the knob ofthe lever G is pressed downupon the knob F, in which -case the circuit is entirely interrupted, as then thepoints j k, as well as o d, are separated.'

The apparatus isoperated by holding the knobs F H together, and alternately raising and lowering them, iu which case the circuit will be alternately broken and closed at the points c d. The screw e is so adj usted as to prevent, during operation, the points j and k from meeting.

Having thus described my invention.

I claim as new, andA desireI to secure .by Letters Patent- The bent lever 'G and spring t', in combination with the spring-lever C, slotted standard B, contact points e le, and the insulated point of the adj usting-sci'ewe,

all arranged as described for the purpose specilied.

WILLIAM EDWARD DAVIS.

Witnesses:

FRANK BLOCKLEY, ALEX. F. ROBERTS, 

